Out to Pasture
Relaunched with a new format
Out to Pasture
In a word: uninviting.
With Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ retreat from the Republican primary — after he pulled in, wheezing, for a second place finish in Iowa — the country is hurtling toward a do-over of the last presidential election.
It promises to be a rough ride. Likely, none of the indictments against former president Donald Trump will have wrapped by election time.
And so far, the horse race mentality has imperiled the fragile border deal. Considered one of the main weak spots for Biden, the inflow of immigrants has ratcheted up pressure in key election areas. With his $110 billion request for further aid for the war in Ukraine also tied up with the border, the Biden administration has signaled willingness to strike a “big deal.” Immigration policy from both sides may look increasingly conservative as the election wears on.
FIVE FAST THINGS
A TERRORIST BY ANY OTHER NAME: The U.S. has been dragged further into the proxy war in Yemen. As a result, they’ve relabelled Houthis as “global terrorists.” The Houthis have, nevertheless, managed to impede shipping with attacks against American and British vessels.
DEEP IN THE BUNKER: Of course, the Israel-Palestine conflict has brought the “normalization” process to a screeching halt globally. But within Israel, it’s also fueled factions: Prime Minister Netanyahu has become entrenched, reportedly causing members of the cabinet who favor a ceasefire eyeing the exits.
THE GOLD STANDARD: Despite the roaring silence, the death and displacement from the Sudan war is climbing. Paramilitary forces are reputed to be funding the war with proceeds from gold mining operations. Calls for a ceasefire continue.
EXPENSIVE SPEECH: The New York Times sued OpenAI claiming that its chatbot — which was trained on newspaper articles — violated copyright laws. Possibly, it was a tactic to increase licensing fees for use of The New York Times’ material.
PAPER PUSHERS: In the civilization that invented it, paper is disappearing. China isn’t the only place to embrace digital. The switch to digital currency has even endangered cash in a number of countries, leading to legislation meant to prolong access to cash banking in Sweden after the Kontantupproret, or “Cash Uprising.”
SWIFT PROVOCATIONS
FREELOADING: Are all the countries that partake in sea trade free-riding on the U.S.’ naval power? (Noahpinion) — Another question: Is access to logistics going to sustain the workers who’ve built a life on it? After Yellow Corp.’s closure, it’s unclear.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: While where you are born deeply guides how well you live, it also shapes how long you live. (POLITICO, from September) — Your life is more determined that it may appear. Suddenly — especially since Robert Sapolsky published his book, Determined, which takes a hardline stance against free will — everyone seems eager to make that point.
THE WORLD IN NUMBERS
492
That’s the estimated number of people who died in climate disasters last year in the U.S., according to information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There were 28 such disasters last year.
$92.9 billion
The cost of those disasters. This may be an undercount as coastal storms and flooding were not completely incorporated by the year’s end.
Some of these disasters could be significantly less fatal and — penny-pinching taxpayers will be glad to know — less costly through preemptive infrastructure improvements.
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